Train-stop mechanism



G, P. HoBAN. f TRAIN STOP MECHANISM. v y APPLICATION man :uw 8.1521.1,437,308, Patented Nov. 28, 1922. l z'sHEETsi-SHEET 1 IN1/Enron 'Byafro/wrs Graeme-@H a/J J (5 C l-Il@ w/mfssfs i G. P. HOHAN. TRAIN STOPMECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED I'uLY 8.1921.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET WIT/VESSES Patented Nov. Zd, l922.

PATE-Nr OFFICE.

GEBGE PAUL HURAN, QF RUTLAND, VERMONT, f

' TRAINrSTQP MECHITISM.

Application filed July 8, y1923.. Serial No. 483,236.

To all whom t may concern: Be itlrnown that'l, GEORGE l. Hmmm a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Rutland, in the county ofRutland and State of VermonnhaveV invented a new and lmproved Train-StopMechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription. f

This invention relates to improvements 'in train stop mechanisms, andmore partcularly to lan 'improved guard for the valve 0r kcock oftheutrai'n airline, an object of the invention being to providemeanswhich prevents the operation of the valve by c on tact with snow, whichprotects the valve from stones or other objects on thetrack, but whichpermits the operation of the valve when the plunger designed tofloperatethe`A same is in positionQ` A Y y A further object is to' provide trainstop mechanism' which is shielded from accidentaloperation, but rwhichassures operation at the proper time `to'prevent accident.: A4 furtherObjectis to provide improved mechanism which is designed for use inconnection ywith mechanisms such asj setv forth in my copend-ingapplication Serial No. 448,64() tiledFebruary 9, 1921,'5ror train stop,although it is,uo"course, to be understood that the invention maybe usedin 'con-r nection with any plunger or projection which is moved intolposition, to open the air line and stop'the train if any attempt is madeto pass a` danger signal.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in Acertainynovely features of construction, and combinations and' arrangements ofparts, as willbe more yfully hereinafter described `and pointedy out inthe claimsl l In the accompanying drawings'- p y Figure l is afragmentaryyview inside elevation illustrating my improved guard inposition for protecting the valve or ycock of the air line.

Figure 2'is a view 2,'-2 of'Figure l.A y

Figure 3 is a front elevationV or 'endjview of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a view in transverse section on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

F igures 5, 6 and T lareviews in: plan, front elevationl and sideelevation respectively illustrating a fender wliichniay be usedinconnection with my improved guard.

l represents a track andQa plunge-r or in section on the liney as hands)other form of abutment, which is movable into elevated, operativepositionk and lowered out of operative position through any suitablemechanism, but preferably in con` nection with the signal as set forthnniy pending application above referred to, al-

though, of course, it is to be understood that this invention is notlimited to any particu,g i' y lar form of plunger or means to operatethe same,`it being4 understood that the inf lventon will operateinconnectionv with any -form of plunger which is moved into pos 'tion tobe engaged by thek arms Stof a cock or valve 4 constituting an outletforthe air line 5 of a locomotive or car 6.V l 7 I have illustrated theforward portion of a lecomotiveas a conventional form ofve hicle, butprovide at the center of thezpilot 7 an opening 8 for the passage of theplunger 2; yin other words, to accommodate the plunger when lthe latteris in its operative position and the locomotive isL moved forwardly overthe same and in position to engage the arms 3 of the valve 4. y"

At'opposite sides of the cock or valve 4 `my improved guards 9 arelocated. These guards') are preferably of the shape shown; that is tosay, that they are curved longiytudii'ially in the arc of afcircle orthey may be otherwise shaped to provide cam surfaces' and are preferablyprovided withoutwardly or` laterally projecting flanges or wings l0located preferably atan angle of substantially forty-five degrees so asto function as cam surfaces when in contact-with snow to hold theguardsvinwardly and in operative position. The inner faces ofthe guardsare given a general compoundcurvature, as shown most clearly in Figure2, so'

that the valve or cock 4 lies in a pocket or A f space with theoperating arms 3 of the valve protected and shielded from contact with'snow so asto prevent the accidental opening of the air line. n n .o v

The guards 9, 9 are secured to and supported by bracket arms Ilpreferably arranged in pairs and forming yokes, as shown in Figure 2,these armsbeing pivotally'con nected at their inner ends, as shownat l2,and at their outer ends being pivotally connected, as shown at 18, tosupporting brackets 114', the latter fixedto any suitable part of thelocomotive or vehicle andoperating from-which the guards are `suspended.f Y o It will lthus be noted that the guards hang in such va position asto prevent a stone or other object iroin operating the air valve, assuch object will first come in contact with one or the other, or both otthe guards and be detiected. lllhen the train is travelling kthroughdeep snow, the cam action o; the snow against the outer orcain faces otthe flanges or wings l will serve to hold the guards in their inwardposition and prevent them trom being tlared outwardly.

1lllhen, however,l the plunger 2 is in elevated operative position, itwill by reason of the curved or cam shape of the guards 9, enter betweensaid guards and torce them apart sutliciently to permit contact with'the arms 3 of the valve t and open the air line as ywill be readilyunderstood, the guards returning1 by gravity to 'their former inositionalter the plunger is passed.

To protect the guards in case ot heavy snow, Afrom any possibility otmovement, l may employ a rotary fender lll, such. as shown in Figures 5,6 and 7. This -tender may compri e three or more blades or vanes andhave rotary mounting, such as shown at in the opening or entrance 8 inthe pilot 7. The blades or vanes of the tender 14 will cause a groove tobe made in the deep snow through which the guards 9 will ride, but whenthe plunger 2 is in elevated position, `it will operate to turn orpartially turn the tender let without rinjury either to the fender orthe plunger. fender willk function to clear a path or knock obstructionsaside to prevent injury to the guards, but will, not injure theoperating plunger 2,y as said fender will revolve or partially revolvewhen the plunger is in elevated position.

lt will be noted that the air line valve 4 of the -guards 9,. as well asthe tender 14, are in a plane above the plane ot the lower edge ot' thepilot, hence, any large, objects on the track will be deflected by thepilot; smaller objects will be cared for by the fender and the guards,and even though the track will be piled with snow, this contingencyisalso compensated tor by the arrangement of fender and the shape ot theguards, so that a proper operation ot the air line is insured in theevent the engine attempts to pass the plunger, which is, as abovestated, preferably operated in connection with the danger signal.

Various slight changes might be made in the general 'form andarrangement oit the parts described without departing trom the inventionand hence I do not limit myseli to the .oise details set forth, butconsider myselliat liberty to make such changes ant` alterations as'fairly tall within the spiritv and scope ot the appended claims.

l claim: i `l. The combination with a vehicle having a 'brake air line,a `valve outlet tor said lin other words, the

air line, and an arm on said valve adaptedy y to admit the valve armengaging member.

2. The combination with a vehicle having a brake air line, a valveoutlet tor said air line, and an arm .on said valve adapted to beoperated by a fixed member when passing the same, ot a pair of guardspivotally supported and located at opposite sides ot the valve andmovable away from each other to admit the valve arm engaging member,said guards having longitudinal and transverse cam faces.

3. The combination with a vehicle having a brake air line, a valveoutlet tor saidL air line, and an arm on said valve adapted to beoperated by a fixed member when passing the saine, of a pair of guardspivotally supported and located at opposite sidesot the valve andmovable away trom each other to admit the valve arm engaging member,said guards curve downwardly from both ends toward their centers, andlaterally projecting angularly disposed 'flanges on the outer faces otsaid guards.

el. The combination with a locomotive, and a pilot, said pilot having anentrance at its center and forward portion whereby the pilot may pass avalve operating member which is movable through said entrance, ot an airvalve supported by the locomotive and located in line with saidentrance, arms on said valve adapted to be engaged by the said memberwhen the latter is in elevated position, hangers depending from thelocomotive, and pivoted guards supported on the hangers and located atopposite sides ot the valve.

5. The combination with a locomotive, and a pilot, said pilot having anentrance at its center and forward portion whereby the pilot may pass avalvel operating member which is movable through said entrance, of anair valve supported by the locomotive and lo cated inline with saidentrance, arms on said valve adapted to be engaged by the said memberwhen the latter is. in elevated position, hangers depending` from thelocomotive, pivoted guards supported on the hangers and located atopposite sides of the valve, and bracket arms secured to the guardspivotally connected at their inner ends and pivotally connected at theirouter ends to said hangers.

6. The combination with al locomotive, and a pilot, said pilot having anentrance at its vcenter and forward portion whereby .the

pilot may pass a. valve operating member which is movable through saidentrance, of an airvalve supported by the locomotive and located in linewith said entrance, arms on said valve adapted to be engaged by the saidmember When the latter is in lelevated position, hangers depending fromthe locomotive, rpivoted guards supported on the hangers and located atopposite sides of the valve, and a rotary fender in said entrance in thepilot.

'2". The combination with a locomotive, and a pilot, said pilot havingan entrance at its center and forward portion whereby the pilot may passa valve operating ineinber which is movable through said entrance, of

an air valve supported by the locomotive and located in line with saidentrance, arms on said valve adapted to be engaged'by the said Ineinberwhen the latter is in elevated position, hangers depending from thelocomotive, pivoted guards supported on the hang-` ers and located atopposite sides of the valve',-

and a rotary fender in said entrance in the pilot, said fendercomprising a circular series 20 of blades or varies.

GEORGE PAUL HORAN.

